South Korea is set to make travel even easier for visitors. The country will remove the first day COVID-19 testing mandate for all visitors, a move which is expected to boost tourism even more. By Anushka Goel
Travelling to South Korea will only get easier. The country, a popular travel destination for tourists across the globe known for its food, culture and fashion (and especially in India, thanks to the Hallyu or the Korean wave), is set to remove the COVID-19 test mandate for visitors on the first day of their arrival, starting Saturday, October 1. The news was confirmed by Yonhap News Agency on September 30.
South Korea eases travel restrictions, removes COVID-19 test mandate
Up until now, the inbound travellers were not asked for a pre-departure test, but they still had to take a COVID-19 PCR test within 24 hours of their arrival in the country. The latest announcement implies that all border control rules and regulations related to the pandemic have been lifted for visitors arriving in South Korea.
Korea removed the pre-departure test mandate at the beginning of September and removed the mandatory quarantine for unvaccinated travellers in June this year. The country is also seeing a fall in the number of COVID-19 cases, which has led to this decision.
According to recent reports, South Korea registered 28,497 new COVID cases on Thursday night before the announcement was made on September 30.
“The weekly number of infections have declined for the first time in nine weeks and the virus is showing signs of slowing down,” Lee Ki-il, the country’s second vice health minister, told reporters, writes Reuters.
South Korea also removed the outdoor mask mandate in September, and those who test positive for the virus need to isolate themselves for seven days. The relaxation in travel is expected to bring an influx of tourists into the country, boost travel and allow them to experience Korea’s scenic beauty, culture, food, festivities, and a lot more.
Hero and Featured Image: Courtesy of Louie Nicolo Nimor/Unsplash
Related: As Pandemic Eases, South Korea Allows Unrestricted Travel For Indian Tourists
Anushka has previously worked with publications such as the Times of India and Being Indian. A graduate from Xavier Institute of Communications, she specialises in entertainment, food and travel. She also likes to write about sustainability and beauty. When not working, you can catch her reading a book, tending to her plants, cooking or playing an instrument.
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